The Portland daily press., 1887-06-18
OBSOLETE TACTICS.
Changes In the Manner Of Manoeu-
vering Troops In War.
Hartford Courant.l

Now that the national drill is over at
Washington we are told that the military
tactics in use for the past twenty years have
become obsolete. Their author, the brilliant
and gallant Upton, became demented and
ended his life by suicide because he was not
able to make the tactics by which battalion
or two could be splendidly maneuyered an
swer for division. But it is doubtful if he
fully realized the changes which are made
necessary by the modern arms of precision
and machine guns. The invention of the
Gatling gun, the pioneer Of machine guns,
is entitled to the credit of having wrought
as great a change in army operations on land
as the little monitor wrought at sea. But
all such changers come slowly, unless aided
by actual war, and for years we may con-
tiiue to witness the drilling of soldiers in
movements as useless for field service as are
the '1ints," hangers" and 'spontoons"
which the latest revised statutes of the
United States require as part Of the equip
ment of the militia.
Except for purposes of drill in camp the
present double rank formation will no longer
be used. The German army, which stands
nrst iIsd IN the world since the wars OF 1866 and
1870 has been constantly eliminating all un-
necessary or intricate details, the end aimed
at being to make every soldier an intelligent
machine, understanding the principles Of all
essential movements and ready to cooperate
In the most effective way. Discipline is
maintained as rigidly as ever. but the soldier
is drilled in the things that will make him
most useful in the field, rather than in obso-
lete man9uyreS and formations. AS slight
Illustration German company standing "in
place rest" receives the orders, Attention !
March every rifle is brought to right
shoulder and the march is taken up. In
American tactics two intervening orders are
required before the same thing is accom-
plished.
General Wolseley. the leading English gem
eral, and far better soldier than he is critic
OF the war of the Rebellion, in speech be-
fore the Royal United Science Institution,
severely criticized many of the movements
at Aldershot, and said: Il think it is q very
dangerous thing to teach soldier in peace
anything which he he is not likely to practice
during war" This should be a cardinal
principle of military instruction, subject
perhaps to the single exception that where
the chief service of a military force, like the
National Guard, must necessarily be orna-
mental-as in this country during long peri
ods of peace--there must be enough pride in
appearance and drill on parade and review
to excite the interest and ambition of the
men. AT present the tendency Is to sacri-
fee knowledge of war tactics to the move
lueutS Oh pdIdue anu review. all OF winch
should be sufficiently taught in the drill
room, not to be extended into the camp. In
the camps every organization should be re-
garded during the entire time as on the march,
resting, or engaged in action. The one idea
always present should be that the enemy is
either already found or liable to appear at
any moment; otherwise the camp is hum
bug.
The best officers of the regular army are
already drilling in the new tactics of the
German army, and in tactics of their own
designing to meet the new requirements. 1t
can hardly be said that there is any such
thing as fixed tactics, while the inventive
skill of the world is engaged in devising new
methods of destruction. The old fashioned
line battle has been annihilated by the ma
chine gun and the repeating rifle. New and
deadlier explosives are reported Eevery day.
The new attacking line is composed of
groups Of scattered skirmishers, 1Co yards OF
more apart, advancing in echelon, and alter
natively, like coyeys of quail darting from
one cover to another, with careful study of
the ground, and always aiming to expose as
few men as possible to the fire of the enemy.
1t is easy to see that under such conditions
the individual soldier becomes much more of
a thinking independent person than under
the old-fashioned shoulder to-shoulder plan.
To the man interested in military science
the changed condition offers fine field for
study, and the aew volume Of tactics will be
heartily welcomed